Application of Microwave Technology to the Production of Iron Nuggets from the Sheini Iron Ore using Mixed Plastics Waste as Reductants

James Ransford Dankwah

Abstract


Disposal of waste plastics is currently a huge global problem, especially in the least developed countries where proven avenues for recycling such wastes are non-existent or not well documented. In this work the potential for producing high grade iron nuggets from the Sheini iron ore in the Northern Region of Ghana is investigated using carbonaceous materials generated from mixed plastics waste (MPW) as reductants. Carbonaceous materials were generated from MPW by pulverising an embrittled mixture of waste pure water sachets (PWS), waste polypropylene (PP), waste polystyrene (PS), waste low density polyethylene (LDPE) and waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) obtained through a melting-quenching sequence. Two variants of MPW (MPW 1 and MPW 2) were used along with the individual polymers as reductants. MPW 1 was comprised of 40 wt % PWS, 30 wt % PP, 20 wt % LDPE and 10 wt % PS while MPW 2 consisted of 40 wt % PWS, 30 wt % PP, 20 wt % LDPE and 10 wt % PET. The generated carbonaceous materials were characterised by XRD, SEM/EDS and FTIR analyses. Reduction studies were then conducted on composite pellets of the ore containing MPW 1, MPW 2 and the individual plastics. Reaction products were characterised by SEM/EDS and XRD and the extent of reduction after 40 min was determined for MPW 1, MPW 2 and the individual polymers. XRD and FTIR analyses showed that individual polymers retained their chemical structure in the generated carbonaceous materials after the melting-quenching process. It was further observed that iron nuggets can be produced from the Sheini iron ore using MPW 1, MPW 2 and the individual waste polymers. The measured extent of reduction ranged from about 68.7% to about 91.24%, with the highest attained for PET and the blend containing PET.

Keywords


Reduction; Sheini Iron Ore; Waste Pure Water Sachets; Extent of Reduction.

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References


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